Question about safety of consuming months-old pate

[benjamin163]

I have just been told by a friend I made some pate for at christmas that she's still enjoying it today, 5 months later.

This shocked and worried me and I told her to throw it away immediately.

She told me to stop being ridiculous and that it was delicious.

I'm astounded.

The recipe contains chicken livers and butter about 2/3 to 1/3.

And there are a few other ingredients like capers, mustard, creme fraishe, garlic, brandy and thyme.

I pour the mixture into a kilner jar and top with clarified butter to seal.

I would never want to have that for more than 2 weeks.

I have absolutely no idea how the pate has stopped from going rancid and I am positive it must be dangerous to eat now but she is eating it and telling me how delicious it is!

Can anyone help?

[SobaAddict70]

One week in the fridge is probably the outer limit when it comes to pâté.

It'll keep longer if frozen.

[Smithy]

You have a fair amount of acid in that pate.  Is there any chance that's contributing to microbial control?  I'd expect her to taste rancidity, but that in itself won't make her sick.  Bacteria will, and maybe they're well-controlled.

 

(I don't iknow the answer.  I'm throwing the question out for discussion.) 

 

Welcome to the eG Forums, by the way.  

[gfweb]

Not all spoilage will make you sick. LOL

 

How much pate did you give her anyway?

[haresfur]

Enough fat to be like confit?

[benjamin163]

I only gave her a jarful but she only started eating it last week!

I'm not sure there's much acid or salt in. Just from the capers really.

I'm guessing there's so much butter in it that it preserved the whole thing but I'm still shocked.

[benjamin163]

thanks for the welcome btw. Is there a specific section for complicated sous vide questions?

[Katie Meadow]

Eww, eww and eww, but that's just personal. There appear to be several modifying factors here. One is how much protective fat is involved. Another is that not all rotten or rancid foods cause problems. And another is that some people (my husband for instance) don't always perceive food as being "off" when others do. I'm super sensitive. I can detect milk that is barely starting to go, so I'm of the school that errs on the side of caution: when in doubt throw it out. My husband is a risk-taker with a poor sense of smell, a  forgiving palate, an iron stomach and an abhorrence of waste. Luckily for his own good he does not make a study of what's in the fridge and has no idea how much stuff I simply throw out without telling him.

[Anna N]

Eww, eww and eww, but that's just personal. There appear to be several modifying factors here. One is how much protective fat is involved. Another is that not all rotten or rancid foods cause problems. And another is that some people (my husband for instance) don't always perceive food as being "off" when others do. I'm super sensitive. I can detect milk that is barely starting to go, so I'm of the school that errs on the side of caution: when in doubt throw it out. My husband is a risk-taker with a poor sense of smell, a  forgiving palate, an iron stomach and an abhorrence of waste. Luckily for his own good he does not make a study of what's in the fridge and has no idea how much stuff I simply throw out without telling him.

I think our husbands must of been twins! If I knew I would be away for mealtime I have to go through the fridge first and make sure that anything that wasn't fresh got thrown out. He seemed drawn to anything just over the edge or worse. I on the other hand will toss anything that's past its best before date even if it smells looks and tastes okay. Perhaps the OP's friend has a cast iron stomach. Next time it might be worth marking the best before date on the container Although it doesn't sound like this would do any good.

[Shel_B]

The OP said "I only gave her a jarful but she only started eating it last week!" which suggests that the jar ad been sealed until recently.  Might the sealed jar have prevented spoilage?

[Smithy]

I only gave her a jarful but she only started eating it last week!

I'm not sure there's much acid or salt in. Just from the capers really.

I'm guessing there's so much butter in it that it preserved the whole thing but I'm still shocked.

In addition to the capers with their salt (or are these preserved in vinegar?) you listed mustard, creme fraiche, butter and brandy; all those are acidic to some degree. Note that I'm still speculating about the contribution of acid to microbial control, since I don't know what the finished pH of your product might be.

The OP said "I only gave her a jarful but she only started eating it last week!" which suggests that the jar ad been sealed until recently. Might the sealed jar have prevented spoilage?

The sealed jar and the fat (as you and others suggested above) probably helped also.

thanks for the welcome btw. Is there a specific section for complicated sous vide questions?

No, there isn't a special section. If it's a savory-type cooking question it goes into the Cooking forum, if it's more related to sweets or baking it goes into the Pastry & Baking forum, and so on. (Each forum is labeled as to its main purpose, to help you figure out the appropriate place to post.) Don't be shy about asking questions of the hosts or managers via PM if you have a specific question about where or how to post something.

Oh, and you may find your questions already addressed; click here for the Sous Vide Index. Happy hunting!

[benjamin163]

Thanks so much for the answers. 

I think the combination of the fact that the pate was sealed with butter and also sealed in a kilner jar, the amount of butter in the recipe (over 1/3) the alcohol and capers all seem to have helped preserve this.

My friend scoffed both the pate and at the notion that my worry was valid. 

She said it was absolutely delicious. 

Personally I think she just got lucky and I will make sure I give her a consume by date of 2 weeks next time even though this one is 6 months later.